New York Mesothelioma Lawyers

How to Find and Choose a New York Mesothelioma Lawyer

When choosing an asbestos lawyer in New York, prioritize attorneys with extensive experience in mesothelioma and asbestos-related claims. Local expertise is particularly critical since New York City ranks as the second-highest jurisdiction in the country for mesothelioma, lung cancer and talc lawsuit filings.

New York Jurisdiction Spotlight

• According to KCIC’s 2025 report, New York City was No.2 in the nation for mesothelioma, lung cancer and talc lawsuit filings in 2024.
• New York City’s Supreme Court has dedicated judges exclusively handling asbestos cases, with faster processing and greater expertise.
• In the state of New York, there were 186 new mesothelioma cases reported in 2022 with an incidence rate of 0.70 per 100,000 people according to the latest data from the CDC.

Hiring a New York mesothelioma lawyer ensures your claim moves quickly through the state’s unique legal system. Law firms like Weitz & Luxenberg, Simmons Hanly Conroy and Meirowitz & Wasserberg have offices in New York and offer free case reviews. Their legal teams are familiar with local judges, jury pools and court officials.

This local expertise can make a big difference in securing the compensation you deserve. For example, Simmons Hanly Conroy represented a New York laborer diagnosed with mesothelioma who was awarded $60 million in the largest single plaintiff verdict in New York City Asbestos Litigation history. 

Nationwide Asbestos Law Firms Helping Clients in New York

Many national asbestos law firms serve clients in New York, even if they don’t have offices in the state. These firms have the resources and experience to handle cases across the country. They frequently travel to meet clients and guide them through the legal process.

Nemeroff Law Firm and Galiher DeRobertis & Waxman are top national firms with a strong track record of helping New York mesothelioma clients. These firms ensure New Yorkers get expert legal support regardless of where the exposure occurred and can also evaluate the best jurisdiction to file your claim in based on the details of your case. 

Choosing a nationwide firm provides access to large legal teams specializing in asbestos cases and decades of expertise. This allows families to focus on health and treatment while attorneys handle the legal work.

Compensation From Asbestos Filings in New York

Plaintiffs in New York have been awarded millions of dollars through trial verdicts and mesothelioma settlements. New York mesothelioma lawyers can also help you secure payouts from asbestos trust funds. This financial assistance can help people with mesothelioma and asbestos lung cancer cover treatment, lost wages and other costs related to their diagnoses.

Notable New York Settlements, Verdicts or Trust Fund Payouts

• $75 Million: A New York jury awarded these damages in 2017 to a mesothelioma survivor who experienced secondary exposure to asbestos through her husband. It was one of the largest mesothelioma verdicts in the state’s history.
• $60 Million: The New York Supreme Court awarded these damages to the family of a New York laborer in 2018. He developed mesothelioma from asbestos products after working on boilers in Brooklyn.
• $31.5 Million: Former construction worker Romeo Maffei received this jury award in 2023. His lawsuit claimed he developed lung cancer following exposure to asbestos-contaminated boiler parts. Throughout his career, Maffei worked on hundreds of Burnham’s boilers.
• $28.5 Million: A New York County Supreme Court jury awarded James Petro this amount in his case against several defendants in 2023. He developed lung cancer following exposure to asbestos working as a steamfitter at the World Trade Center.
• $23 Million: A New York jury ordered Jenkins Bros. to pay this amount of damages to James McWilliams in 2023. He encountered asbestos working as a steamfitter using Jenkins’ asbestos-laden flange gaskets and valves and developed mesothelioma.
• $12.25 Million: A New York jury awarded this amount to Linda Weaver in a wrongful death lawsuit filed after her sister Anna Bishop died of mesothelioma linked to asbestos exposure from Vanderbilt Mining’s talc mine and mill in Balmat. Evidence presented to the jury documented decades of environmental asbestos exposure as result of Vanderbilt’s operations.

The average mesothelioma settlement typically falls between $1 million and $2 million, while trial verdicts often range from $5 million to $20.7 million. Your experienced New York asbestos attorney can help you secure the compensation you deserve.

How Does an Asbestos Lawyer Handle Your Claim in New York

An experienced asbestos lawyer manages each stage of a mesothelioma claim in New York from start to finish. Attorneys investigate how exposure happened, identify who’s responsible and ensure your case meets the state’s strict 3-year filing deadline after diagnosis.

Steps to a Mesothelioma Claim

1. Consult a Lawyer: You’ll begin with a consultation, during which your lawyer will review your medical and work history to confirm eligibility.
2. Gather Documentation: Your attorney collects records, such as diagnostic reports, employment documents at workplaces like the Brooklyn Navy Yard and financial statements, to prove asbestos exposure and related losses.
3. File the Claim: The lawyer files the lawsuit or trust claim in the proper New York jurisdiction, ensuring all documents meet court or trust requirements.
4. Discovery Phase: Both sides exchange information, interview witnesses and collect depositions tying your exposure to sites like the Balmat Talc Mines in upstate New York.
5. Negotiation or Trial: Most mesothelioma lawsuits settle before trial. If negotiations fail, your attorney presents your case in court to seek a verdict.

Lawyers experienced in New York asbestos litigation help clients avoid missed deadlines, manage complex multi-defendant cases and secure compensation faster. They also explore every option to protect your family’s future and financial stability, from asbestos trust fund claims to wrongful death actions.​

Asbestos Exposure in New York

Asbestos exposure in New York gained international attention in the aftermath of the 9/11 attacks. An estimated 400 tons of the carcinogenic mineral became part of a toxic plume of pulverized dust and debris from the fire and fall of the Twin Towers. Asbestos has long been part of the state’s history.

Most New Yorkers with mesothelioma were exposed to asbestos at work. Railroads, power plants, shipyards and military facilities are among sites known for asbestos products. Teachers, students and staff have also developed mesothelioma from asbestos in schools. 

Sites Known for Asbestos Exposure

• Balmat Talc Mines: International Pulp Company, later International Talc Company, acquired mining rights in Balmat in 1894. Gouverneur Talc Company, a subsidiary of R.T. Vanderbilt, which began mining in the region in 1948, purchased the Balmat operations in 1974. The site exposed workers and nearby residents to asbestos until it closed in 2008.

• Bethlehem Steel Shipyards: Asbestos was used in various aspects of the shipbuilding industry, including at this facility in Mariner’s Harbor on Staten Island.  
• Brooklyn Navy Yard: The facility first became an active naval installation in 1806. Between 1939 and 1945, the workforce grew to 70,000 employees. Many workers wore protective clothing made from asbestos for insulation. 
• Grand Central Terminal and Penn Station: The original Penn Station, demolished in 1963, contained asbestos. It’s believed asbestos was left in the remaining underground areas of the station. Asbestos was also widely used at Grand Central Station.
• Empire State Building: Asbestos was used in the construction and maintenance of the facility. During the early 20th century, using the material for fireproofing and insulation was common. 
• General Electric: The facility in Schenectady used asbestos in its manufacturing processes. 
• Long Island Lighting Company: Several power plants on Long Island used asbestos for insulation, piping, boilers and other equipment.
• Long Island Railroad: With more than 700 miles of tracks and 124 stations across Long Island, there are many sites where workers have been exposed to asbestos. Gaskets, brakes and insulation contained asbestos. Machinists were at particularly high risk for asbestos-related diseases.
• World Trade Center: The collapse of the Twin Towers on Sept. 11, 2001, released a toxic plume of smoke over Manhattan that contained tons of asbestos fibers and other hazardous materials. 

The present Grand Central Terminal in Manhattan opened in 1913 when asbestos was widely used in construction. It replaced the smaller Grand Central Depot that was built in 1871 and also contained asbestos. When a steam pipe exploded in 2007, the blast broke through the asphalt above and left a large hole in the street. It sent out water and debris, including a significant amount of asbestos. 

A massive water leak developed in the terminal’s ceiling during a June 2019 rainstorm. Water damage and other issues requiring repair work continue to expose maintenance workers to asbestos. The prevalence of asbestos at Grand Central Station has led to many lawsuits. 

Michelle Marshall

Verified Asbestos.com Survivor

Survivor Story

Michelle worked in New York City’s historic Empire State Building in the 1980s during a major renovation project. It often left a thin dust film on her desk. It was the same desk where she often ate the lunch she packed and brought from home. Asbestos was a major material in the construction of the famed New York City landmark and is the primary cause of mesothelioma.

Michelle Marshall

Verified Asbestos.com Survivor

Read Michelle’s Story

New York’s Most Well-Known Exposure Site: World Trade Center

The World Trade Center towers were built in the late 1960s and early 1970s using asbestos insulation for fireproofing on steel beams, particularly in the North Tower’s first 40 floors. When the Twin Towers collapsed on September 11, 2001, roughly 400 tons of asbestos were released, along with lead, glass fibers and silica dust. The toxic plume spread across Lower Manhattan, exposing hundreds of thousands of first responders, workers and residents to hazardous materials.​

In the aftermath, air samples near Ground Zero found asbestos levels often exceeding safe limits. Cleanup crews and volunteers were especially vulnerable. Over the years, studies from the Mount Sinai Health System and the World Trade Center Health Program have linked the disaster to lasting respiratory illnesses, including mesothelioma and asbestosis. The 9/11 asbestos contamination remains one of the largest urban exposure events in U.S. history and continues to impact public health today.​

Occupational Asbestos Exposure in New York

Occupational asbestos exposure in New York is rooted in the state’s industrial history. Its mines, factories, textile mills, railroads, power plants and manufacturing plants used asbestos products daily, exposing many workers. New York military facilities and shipyards also exposed veterans to the dangerous mineral.

Higher-Risk Jobs in New York

• Chemical plant workers
• Construction workers
• Insulation installers
• Manufacturing plant workers
• Miners
• Metal workers
• Oil refinery workers
• Paper millers
• Power plant workers
• Rubber workers
• Shipbuilders
• Textile mill workers

Pleural mesothelioma survivor Carla Fasolo told us her diagnosis is linked to a history of asbestos exposure when visiting her father’s workplace as a child. She shares, “It started with me going down to the Oneida County Courthouse in Utica, New York, with my dad. I would go down there with him, and it was very dusty in the boiler room. There would be chunks of gray, fibrous stuff down there. I didn’t know what it was, but I’d pick it up and play with it.”

New York courts also hold companies responsible for secondhand asbestos exposure. Workers’ families can face secondary asbestos exposure when fibers enter their homes on the work clothing, hair and skin of someone with primary exposure. Similar to primary exposure, secondary exposure can also cause mesothelioma or other asbestos-related diseases.

How Your Lawyer Supports You in New York’s Changing Asbestos Litigation

New York’s asbestos litigation landscape is ever-changing. Lawyers track new laws, court rulings and state rules that affect filing deadlines, evidence standards and case strategy. Changes may increase penalties for violations or reinforce disclosure requirements for bankruptcy trust claims.

New York Litigation Landscape

• Causation rules: New York courts are tightening asbestos causation rules. A Fourth Department dissent may prompt a Court of Appeals review, possibly changing future liability outcomes.
• Witness requirements: As of 2025, new legislative and regulatory changes require expert witnesses in asbestos lawsuits to meet stricter qualifications. These include specialized certification and relevant professional experience in occupational health, industrial hygiene, toxicology or related fields.

Experienced New York lawyers also evaluate the best jurisdiction for filing your claim. This strategic choice helps maximize compensation and avoid costly delays. They guide families through these challenges, reducing stress while they handle complex legal work.

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